Newbie Question: FAQ for database optimization?

[Alexander Scholz <alexander.scholz1@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

is there a newbie's FAQ / book / link for "howto optimize databases with 
PostgreSQL"?

Background: Customer has the Windows* (sorry <g>) Postgres 8.1.0 
standard installation "out of the box". A table has 2.5 mio records. No 
indizes defined, primary key (sequence) does exist. In pgAdmin "select 
count(*)" takes over 30 seconds, an "update" affecting 70'000 records 
takes minutes... I am sure PostgreSQL could do better, we "just" need to 
tune the database. (I hope so at least!)

What action and/or reading can you recommend? (We quickly need some 
'wow' effects to keep the customer happy <sigh>).

Thanx,

Alexander.

*) sorry, I don't have server's hardware spec. available right now, but 
the MSSQL2005 instance on it does the same things in a few seconds... ;-)